What to Do When Your Child Locks You Out of the House
Having your child lock you out of the house
can be a terrifying experience for parents and maybe for the child if it was
accidental. There are many reasons this happens.
Parenting is a full-time job, and sometimes
you have to juggle other everyday life tasks like cleaning and laundry before
you find yourself unable to go back in because your toddler somehow followed
you and pushed the door locked.
If getting a locksmith is out of the question
or if there is an imminent danger if you leave your child alone in the house
for long, then contact your local police to break in your own house. The best
way to combat this from happening in the future is to put in place some methods
to prevent it from happening in the future.
Here are the things you can do when your child
gets locked in the house.
Try
Doors, Windows, Other Entryways
Look for other ways to get inside your house
if you think you have doors, windows, or other entryways you can easily
squeeze into. It may take a bit of climbing and awkward fumbling, but it is the
safest and most undamaging way to get inside. If you’re lucky, you may be able
to find something that is unlocked.
If you don’t find an unlocked portal, make
sure to communicate with your child who is inside the house. Reassure them that
it is you trying to get in the house in case they are scared. You may need to
break a mesh screen or even glass to achieve this.
Keep
Hidden Spare Key/s
To prevent being locked out from happening,
you need to think ahead. If you happen to share a house with a spouse or other
members of the family, chances are, one of you is bound to forget or lose your
respective keys. When this happens, the person may have to spend a few hours
locked out if others are not able to go home right away because of work
commitment or school.
That is why it is a good idea to hide a spare
key or two for scenarios such as that. Nowadays, it’s common for spare keys to
be hidden under the welcome mat, and it may become a safety risk rather than a
fallback plan for being locked out. Hide your spare keys better by using some clever hacks. There are many good
ideas that can be found online.
Teach
Children How to Lock and Unlock Correctly
If being locked out by your child happens
often enough, it is time to teach them how to correctly lock and unlock the
door by themselves. In cases where they accidentally lock you out and
themselves in, they know how to undo what they did and prevent any unnecessary
door-breaking.
It is important to communicate with your
children about why they should not lock you out and the respective dangers of it. For the
sake of awareness, you can set up rules on playing with door and window locks.
Use a
Lockpick
Even if you don’t intend to start a criminal
career, lockpicking is a handy and useful skill you can learn. By picking
locks, you will understand how easy it is for intruders to get inside houses
and safes without having to break a door or window. This will make you more
aware of how your house is insufficiently secure with only a few locks here and
there.
Furthermore, learning to lockpick your own
house means that you won’t ever have to call for a locksmith and pay their
exorbitant fees again. It also saves you time because you can solve the problem
on your own. If you’re looking to start the lockpicking hobby, go get yourself
some lock pick sets for beginners.
Owning one might become useful someday too.
Call
for the Landlord
If you live in an apartment or renting a
house, your landlord may have a master key you can use to open your front door.
If they live close enough, you may be able to get in your house in no time as
they won’t have any problem going to their place to get your spare key.
With that said, it is a good idea to ask for
your landlord’s mobile phone number so you can reach them anytime you need to.
They may not be at home at the time you’re locked out, so it is better for you
to have ways to inform them of your situation.
Conclusion
Accidents can happen to anyone, and that is
why you must take every precaution that you can to ensure that they don’t
happen ever or for the second time. Any of the methods listed above may work
for you, so choose the best way for your circumstances. While being
self-sufficient is ideal and important, you should not hesitate to ask for help
when you need it or welcome it when someone offers.
What do you do when your child locks you out
of the house? Tell your story in the comments section below.
Photo URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/9-nGBzwzquo
